Signal apparatus for railway-trains



Patented Ian. 3, I899.

No. smoaa.

C. N. FREDERICKSON.

SIGNAL APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY TRAINS.

(Application filed Apr. 8, 1898.)

(No Model.)

L JI

h we

A TTORNEYJ' W/TNESSES 4 W122. m Q

m: norms PETERS c0. PHOT0-L|TNO., WASHINGTON a. c

llriirr n STATES CHARLES NORMAN FREDERIOKSON, OF WVESTVALE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SIGNAL APPARATUS FOR RAILWAY-TRAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 617,088, dated January 3, 1899.

Application filed April 8, 1898. Serial No. 676,882. N m el) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LGHARLEs NORMAN FRED- ERIOKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Westvale, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal Apparatus for Railway-Trains, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to signal devices for railway-trains, and particularly to that class of signal devices which are intended to operate when the train is broken in two or the couplings of the cars disconnected, so as to signal the uncoupling of the cars or the breaking of the couplings to the engineer.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which- Figure 1 is a view representing the sides of two cars and the construction and application of my improved signal apparatus. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of two coupling-boxes which form a part of my improved signal. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of one of said boxes, and Fig. 4 is an end view thereof.

In the drawings forming part of this specification the separate parts of my improvement are designated by the same numerals of reference in each of the views, and in said drawings I have represented at 5 two cars, which in practice are coupled in the usual manner, the coupling devices being not shown, and in the practice of my invention I employ two coupling-boxes 6 and 7, which are precisely similar in form. Thesecoupling-boxes 6 and 7 are open at one end and closed at the other, and the top portion of the box 6 is projected, as shown at 8, and the bottom portion of the other box is projected in a similar manner, as shown at 9, and the bottom of one of said boxes and the top of the other are provided with longitudinal slots 10, which open in the direction of the adjacent ends of said boxes.

The extension 8 of the box 6 is provided at the end and centrally thereof with a depending arm 11, which passes through the slot 10 in the top of the box 7 and the lower end of which is provided with a cylindrical crosshead 12, and the extension 9 of the bottom of the box 7 is provided at its end and centrally thereof with an upwardly-directed arm 13, which passes through the slot 10 in the bottom of the box 6 and the upper end of which is provided with a cylindrical cross-head 14.

The inner end of each of the slots 10 communicates with a cross-slot 15, one of which is formed in the top of the box 7 and the other in the bottom of the box 6, and secured tothe under surface of the top of the box 7, adja cent to the closed end thereof, is a strong curved spring 16, the free end of which passes over the cross-head 12 of the arm 11 of the extension 8 of the box 6 and is curvednpwardly, and secured to the bottom of the box 6, near the closed end thereof, is a similar strong spring 17, the free end of which passes over the cross-head 14 of the arm 13 of the extension 9 of the bottom of the box 7 and is bent downwardly.

It will be understood that the boxes 6 and 7 may be connected by simply passing the crossheads 12 and 14 through the slots 15, and the springs 16 and 17 will hold said boxes together unless considerable force is applied to pull them apart longitudinally.

The boxes 6 and 7 are each suspended from the adjacent ends of the cars 5 by a short pivoted link 18, and the closed ends of said boxes are provided with chains, cords, or similar devices 19, which are connected therewith in any desired manner and which are also suspended from the bottom of the cars by pivoted hangers 20, which are connected therewith in any desired manner and are also pivotally connected with the arm, and the boxes 6 and 7 are preferably supported at each end only, so as to facilitate the coupling thereof, as hereinafter described.

The forward chain 19 is connected with one arm of a crank-lever 21, which is pivotally connected at 22 with the engine, which is not shown, and connected with the other arm of said lever is a chain or, cord 23, which passes upwardly into the cab of the engine (not shown) and is connected with a bell, gong, or other alarm device, which is also not shown.

The pivoted links 18 by which the boxes 6 and 7 are supported are preferably quite short, so as to allow of only slight longitudinal movement of said boxes, and it will be apparent that if at any time the cars should become disconnected in any way, either by the breaking of the coupling or the disconnection of the parts thereof, the strain thrown upon said boxes would cause the springs 16 and 17 to pass over the cross-heads 12 and 14 and said boxes would be disconnected. At the same time the pressure of the springs 16 and 17 on the cross-heads 12 and 14 would be such as to hold said boxes together until after the crank-lever 21 was operated, and thus the alarm in the cab would be given.

It will be understood that in practice the boxes 6 and 7 are suspended beneath the adjacent ends of all the cars of a train and said boxes are connected throughout the entire length of the train by the chains 19, and it will therefore be seen that the signal apparatus will operate regardless of the point at which the breaking of the couplings or the disconnection thereof occurs.

This apparatus is simple in construction and operation and is perfectly adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and it will be apparent that changes in and modifications of the construction herein described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A signal apparatus for railway-trains designed to signal the uncoupling of the cars or the breaking of the coupling to the cab of the engine, said apparatus consisting of coupling-boxes supported beneath the adjacent ends of each car and connected in such manner that said connection will be broken when the cars are uncoupled, said boxes being adapted to swing longitudinally on their supports and being connected throughout the length of the train by chains which are also suspended from the bottom of the cars by pivoted supports, the front'chain being also provided with a crank lever by means of which the signal is given in the cab of the engine, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A signal apparatus for railway-trains adapted to signal the uncoupling or the breaking of the coupling of the cars to the cab of the engine, said signal apparatus consisting of coupling-boxes suspended from the adjacent ends of each car and which are adapted to swing longitudinally on their supports, said coupling-boxes being also connected throughout the entire length of the train by chains suspended by swinging supports from the bottom of the cars, the front chain of the train being also connected with a crank-lever by means of which the signal is given in the cab of the engine, the coupling-boxes of each set being provided at their adjacent ends, one with a longitudinal slot in the top thereof and the other with a corresponding slot in the bottom thereof, each of said slots communicating at its inner end with a cross-slot, and said boxes being also provided at their adjacent ends with extensions which overlap said slots and with cross-heads which pass through said longitudinal cross slots, and each of said boxes being also provided with a spring which operates in connection with the corresponding cross-head whereby said boxes are held together, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a railway signal apparatus adapted to signal the uncoupling, or breaking of the coupling of the cars to the cab of the engine, coupling boxes constructed as herein described and suspended beneath the adjacent ends of each car, said coupling-boxes being adapted to swing longitudinally on their supports and being connected throughout the length of the train, said connecting devices being suspended by swinging supports and the forward connecting device being also connected with a crank-lever by which the signal is given in the cab of the engine, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 31st day of March, 1898.

CHARLES NORMAN FREDERICKSON.

Vitnesses:

THOMAS H. CROFT, JAMEs TEMPLE. 

